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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29633295">Follow The Sun Down Low</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeAreTheLuckyOnes/pseuds/WeAreTheLuckyOnes'>WeAreTheLuckyOnes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bottom Castiel/Top Dean Winchester, Case Fic, Fluff, Ghouls, M/M, Non-Graphic Gore, Non-Graphic Violence, Riding, Smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:22:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,176</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29633295</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeAreTheLuckyOnes/pseuds/WeAreTheLuckyOnes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Castiel head out on a hunt to give Sam and Rowena time alone, but the hunt doesn’t quite go to plan. But then again, does it ever?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester, Rowena MacLeod/Sam Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>86</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Profound Bond Gift Exchange: Reunion</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Follow The Sun Down Low</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarasaurusrex/gifts">sarasaurusrex</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Javoc (AKA sarasaurusrex) for the Profound Bond Exchange, sorry it’s late, I hope you like it!</p>
<p>Thanks to abnormal_ace for the EXTREMELY late and rushed beta, you are an absolute gem!</p>
<p>Title from Sirens by Cher Lloyd.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rowena has been spending more time at the bunker, and while both she and Sam think Dean, Castiel, and Jack are in the dark, they aren’t. At least, Dean isn’t in the dark. He’s not sure where Castiel and Jack are, except they never notice anything, ever. Jack’s still naive, despite, these days, being what passes for an all-powerful, almighty deity, and Castiel rarely cares enough about anything that doesn’t specifically involve him enough to pay attention. It bothers Dean endlessly.</p>
<p>Sam claims Rowena has been teaching him magic - which isn’t entirely untrue, just not the whole truth. Dean’s seen the looks, the touches. He isn’t stupid.</p>
<p>It’s Dean’s job as Sam’s big brother to rib the fuck out of him when he’s happy, but he doesn’t, simply because Sam hasn’t told him yet. But it’s also partly because when Sam found Dean and Castiel making out in the garage he didn’t tease him at all, and Dean will always be grateful for that.</p>
<p>Dean does tells Castiel though, mostly so he’s not the only one who knows, even if Castiel doesn’t seem to care all that much. </p>
<p>“We should go out on a hunt, send Jack up to heaven to do his thing, let them have some time alone,” Dean tells Castiel while they’re in the kitchen making popcorn. It’s the second movie night Sam and Rowena have missed to ‘practice magic’, Dean Winchester would enjoy it much more if Jack was off doing his own thing too.</p>
<p>“Why?” Castiel asks, squinting at Dean over the rim of his mug. Dean still doesn’t understand how he can drink tea. It’s just leaf water and it tastes like shit to him.</p>
<p>Dean rolls his eyes. “Think about you and me having the entire bunker to ourselves for a week.”</p>
<p>Castiel tilts his head to the side curiously, thinking, before he straightens his neck and shrugs. “Then why can’t <em>we</em> stay here? Rowena has her own apartment.”</p>
<p>Dean rolls his eyes again. “Sam and Rowena don’t know I know. Now stop being argumentative, I’m going to call Garth and see if he’s got anything we can take. If we’re lucky, we’ll finish it quickly and get some time to ourselves.” He shoots Castiel a wolfish grin.</p>
<p>Castiel looks like he’s considering arguing more for a moment before he nods. “Okay, I guess we could leave them alone for a week.”</p>
<p>“So charitable of you,” Dean says with a chuckle, opening the microwave door and leaving the bag of popcorn inside for a minute so he can lean over and press his mouth to Castiel’s. The kiss is chaste, no more than a gentle press of lips, and tastes entirely too much like sugary leaf water for Dean’s liking. When Dean pulls away he makes a face at Castiel. “Tea tastes like ass.”</p>
<p>Castiel nods solemnly. “Yes, and you would be fairly familiar with the taste of ‘ass’.”</p>
<p>Dean lets out a loud guffaw of a laugh. Castiel says it so seriously that Dean knows if anyone else had heard him the <em>definitely</em> would’ve thought he was serious, but Dean’s sure he knows him well enough to recognize the twitch in the corner of his eye. “That was funny.”</p>
<p>“Kiss me again.”</p>
<p>Dean does.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>-*-*-*-*-*-</p>
</div>Jack returns to heaven without any prompting, claiming a section of heaven needs immediate attention. Garth finds Dean and Castiel a shapeshifter case in Missouri with three already dead. Sam seems suspicious, especially since Dean’s barely hunted in months, but he doesn’t say anything, so he either figures it out or doesn’t care enough to ask, too glad to have time alone with Rowena.<p>Dean and Castiel pack up the Impala and head down the K-10 towards St Robert, Missouri. It’s not a long drive - maybe five hours, six with heavy traffic - and they spend it mostly in silence, with the radio on low, the mixtape Dean gave him before they were together in the tape deck.</p>
<p>When they get to St Robert’s they find a motel and pay for a single for seven-night, leaving their belongings in the room and dressing in their suits. While they drive to the police station, Dean has Castiel read Garth’s file in the murders, so they’re both well versed in the case’s details. </p>
<p>“First death was February 12th, flayed alive and dumped, no footage of the perp. The second was on March 7th, committed by someone who appeared to be the first victim, same modus operandi,” Castiel explains.</p>
<p>“You could just say ‘mo’ you know?” Dean tells him with a chuckle, checking his phone to make sure he’s going the right way.</p>
<p>“Doesn’t mean I won’t. Keep your eyes on the road,” Castiel warns him. He clears his throat and Dean sees him flip through the file pages out the corner of his eye before he continues. “Victim number two - someone who looked like victim number two - killed victim number three. Wait… it wasn’t just skin that was removed, quite a bit of flesh was taken.”</p>
<p>Dean frowns and turns to look at Castiel before turning back to the road. “How much? And from where?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know, it’s not in the file. After we’ve spoken to the police we should attend the morgue,” Castiel replies, closing the file and setting it on his lap. “It’s unlikely a shapeshifter would remove the skin and flesh of their victims.”</p>
<p>Dean nods. “I know, I don’t think it’s a shapeshifter either, but we won’t know until we see the bodies.” Dean pulls down another road before finding himself in front of the police station, parking in the parking lot. “We should have eaten after we got here, I’m starving.”</p>
<p>“We can find somewhere to eat and come back?” Castiel suggests.</p>
<p>“Nah, we’re already here, we’ll eat before we go to the morgue. You hungry, too?”</p>
<p>Castiel shakes his head, though Dean’s fairly sure he is, but just hasn’t realized it yet. He forgets that he’s human now and that leaving basic needs to the last minute is detrimental to your health. He’s been human more than once, but he still forgets.</p>
<p>“Alright, come on.”</p>
<p>The local law enforcement are skeptical of their presence, but helpful once they’ve contacted their ‘supervisor’ (Bess), explaining the murders and the investigation’s progress. They have a suspect, but Dean’s fairly certain they aren’t the murderer, because he’s pretty sure they’re dealing with ghouls.</p>
<p>“Ghouls?” Castiel asks, frowning after Dean’s told him his theory as they’re walking back to the Impala. It’s hot in Missouri, and Dean’s close to boiling in his jacket, so he takes it off and hooks it over his arm. “Ghouls consume dead flesh, these humans were flayed alive.”</p>
<p>Dean nods. “I know, but it wouldn’t be the first time a ghoul at a living human.”</p>
<p>Realization seems to dawn on Castiel. “Yes, your brother Adam and his mother.”</p>
<p>Dean nods his head, reaching the car and unlocking her, climbing inside so he can reach over and unlock the passenger door for Castiel. Castiel follows him inside the car and Dean says, “What do you feel like for lunch?”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>-*-*-*-*-*-</p>
</div>They visit the morgue after lunch and examine each of the bodies. Quite a lot more flesh is missing than Dean first thought - on the second victim he can see rob bone - solidifying Dean’s theory on ghouls.<p>“Should we do a round of the nearest graveyards tonight?” Dean whispers over the third victim so the medical examiner and her assistant can’t hear them. The assistant had tried to flirt with Castiel when they’d arrived, which Dean thinks he could almost be jealous about if Castiel weren’t so unbelievably oblivious, and apparently stupidly in love with Dean, the absolute moron. Instead, he finds it hilarious, and it’s not like the guy is ugly, if Dean wasn’t also stupidly in love with Castiel he might have considered it himself. “Or go back to the motel for a few hours, fuck our brains out and <em>then</em> patrol the graveyards?”</p>
<p>Castiel’s cheeks tinge pink and he shoots Dean a warning look that sends a shiver down Dean’s spine. “Focus on the case, Dean.”</p>
<p>“Later, then.”</p>
<p>When they get back to the hotel they check for grave robberies in the area to see if they can narrow down the search area. There've been ten grave robberies in two years, in three separate graveyards, before they stopped, two months before the first death. They have no explanation as to why the victims shifted from corpses to living human beings, but he supposes he'll find out when they find the ghoul.</p>
<p>Dean and Castiel order a pizza to the hotel room and take a case of beer from the back of the Impala, sacking out on the bed in front of the TV. They argue good-naturedly over which channel to watch, fighting over the remote, and Dean wins, because he manages to wrestle Castiel onto his front, pinning Castiel’s arms to his sides with his knees, straddling his back.</p>
<p>He pulls the remote from Castiel’s hand, grinning, panting for breath, and says, “And that is why you don’t miss sparring sessions.”</p>
<p>Castiel looks back at Dean and rolls his eyes. “I’ve not been ‘missing’ sparring sessions, I just don’t spar with you, Dean.”</p>
<p>Dean frowns, a bit taken aback and hurt by the new knowledge. “Why?” He asks.</p>
<p>Within seconds, Castiel has his knees up under him and is using the space he now has to jerk his back up and to the side. The movement flings Dean off to the side and on his back on the mattress next to Castiel, and Castiel climbs up on top of him, kneeling over Dean’s belly. He leans up and plucks the remote from Dean’s grip, then says, “Because every time we spar, it ends with one of us ducking the other up against the wall.”</p>
<p>“Oh, that mouth,” Dean says with a grin, sliding his hands up Castiel’s thighs and settling them on Castiel’s hips. “That’s fair? Though it wasn’t always against the wall.”</p>
<p>Castiel rolls his eyes and climbs off of Dean and the bed, just in time for a knock at the door, announcing the arrival of the pizza. Castiel throws the remote on the bed next to Dean and Dean props himself up with his arms under his head so he can watch Castiel answer the door. </p>
<p>Castiel pays and they eat the half-n-half pepperoni and Supreme in front of an old episode of <em>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</em>. (Castiel’s choice. Dean concedes to him when Castiel kisses him stupid.)</p>
<p>“Why do their vampires <em>look like that</em>?” Dean asks as Buffy and the blonde-haired vampire are fighting (Melody? Rhapsody? Harmony? Who fucking knows). “Also, do you wonder if Joss Whedon knows about monsters? I mean, he’s taken liberties, but there’s way too many truths for it to be a coincidence.”</p>
<p>Castiel nods, licking grease from his fingers. “I’ve never thought about it, but I suppose you’re right.”</p>
<p>After they’ve finished the pizza, Dean’s about to suggest they get frisky before they head out to patrol the three graveyards when his FBI mobile starts to ring. He swears and dives for it, whispering to Castiel (though there’s really no need to do so), “What’s my damned name again?”</p>
<p>“Agent Stark.”</p>
<p>Dean nods and answers the phone with a “Agent Stark speaking.”</p>
<p>“Agent, it’s Sheriff Vaughan, we’ve found another body, I thought you and your partner might want to come take a look.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>-*-*-*-*-*-</p>
</div>The fourth body is in a public, but quiet street, filled with CCTV cameras. Like the two previous murders, the drop-off is in plain view of the cameras, the perpetrator visible: the third victim.<p>The body’s skin is completely removed, some of the flesh and muscle with it. Dean can’t immediately identify the sex of the body, but the medical examiners seem fairly convinced it’s a male, though he isn’t sure how. That takes the total up to three men and one woman.</p>
<p>“Why aren’t they consuming the entire body?” Castiel asks in a whisper so quiet Dean almost misses it.</p>
<p>“Possibly because there’s only one?” Dean replies, squatting down next to the body to examine it. There are small straight nicks in the muscle that look like they may have been caused by a knife. “Maybe two.”</p>
<p>Castiel nods his head, standing beside Dean. Dean climbs to his feet and they stand together looking down at the body. Eventually, the medical examiner interrupts their silence to move them out of the way so the body can be collected. </p>
<p>When the body had been put into a bag and is being loaded into the van, something on the ground where it had been catches Dean’s eye. He squats down again to get a closer look. There’s a couple of drenched flowers that may have started their lives as white in a pool of blood. He gingerly uses his gloved fingers to pick one of the flowers out of the blood (which has started to dry), placing it in the palm of his other hand.</p>
<p>“What’ve you got?” The M.E. assistant asks, leaning over Dean’s shoulder on one side, Castiel over the other.</p>
<p>“It’s gypsophila paniculata,” Castiel says, nodding his head. Dean and the examiner both turn to him in confusion, and when he notices, he says, “Its common name is Baby’s Breath, a perennial that grows in alkaline soil. It’s one of the only plants I can grow in the garden at home.”</p>
<p>The examiner’s eyes widen a little like he’s just realizing that the Castiel is referring to might be <em>theirs</em> - his and Dean’s - and they’re together. He clears his throat and takes a step back, which Dean thinks is hilarious. Then he says, “I’ll get an evidence bag.”</p>
<p>When he’s gone, Dean chuckles and turns to Castiel to say, “He’s been flirting with you since you met.”</p>
<p>“Has he? I hadn’t noticed.”</p>
<p>Dean snorts. No, he wouldn’t have. “So, unless the flowers came from somewhere else, we’re probably looking for a graveyard with Baby’s Breath.”</p>
<p>Castiel nods his head. “Do you still want to search tonight?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Dean says with a nod. “Might as well get it over and done with.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>-*-*-*-*-*-</p>
</div>Because absolutely nothing can ever be easy, none of the three graveyards (or any of the other five the check after the first three leave them empty-handed) have any Baby’s Breath. Dean starts to worry the flowers just happened to be on the ground when the body was dumped.<p>That is until Castiel stops Dean as they’re driving to a diner three days after they first arrived in St Roberts. He points out a bush in front of a cafe, informing Dean that it’s Baby’s Breath. St Roberts isn't a particularly large place, with a particularly large population, but this is the first time they’ve seen the plant, it has to be the one.”</p>
<p>Dean pulls the Impala off to the side of the road and he and Castiel climb out, heading over to the bush. It’s perfectly maintained… everywhere but a small corner that’s been trampled. It could be a coincidence, just a trampled bush with absolutely no bearing on their investigation, but it’s the only lead they have.</p>
<p>“Guess we’re having lunch here,” Dean says, dragging Castiel inside.”</p>
<p>It looks like any other hipster cafe Dean has ever been to (which is not that man, thankfully), with all the wood and dark colors and shelves of books off to the side. It’s pretty crowded - it is lunchtime after all - and Dean has to zig-zag through the tables to get to the line at the front counter.</p>
<p>While they’re waiting in line, Dean turns to Castiel and whispers, “How should we play this? Come straight out and ask about the bush, or should we play it cool, identify ourselves as feds and say we’re on the case, see how the barista reacts?”</p>
<p>Castiel shrugs his shoulders and says, “Either way works, you decide Dean.”</p>
<p>Dean laughs and rolls his eyes. “Alright, babe. We’ll mention the murders and watch for a reaction. Let me do it.”</p>
<p>Castiel shrugs his shoulders again and then says after a pause, “Do you think Sam and Rowena are enjoying their time alone?”</p>
<p>Dean presses a startled laugh into Castiel’s shoulder to soften the sound so he’s not disturbing others around them. He hasn’t been allowed to do his duty as big brother (tease the ever-loving shit out Sam) and it’s been bubbling up inside of him. “Oh, I’m <em>sure</em>we’d do on those surfaces if we had the bunker to ourselves.”</p>
<p>Castiel thinks about it for a moment before the realization dawns on him. “Why could <em>we</em> not just have done that and sent <em>them</em> off.”</p>
<p>“I told you why. Besides, being out of the bunker has never stopped us before.”</p>
<p>Castiel hums and nods his head. “Very true.”</p>
<p>They’ve been steadily working their way to the front of the line, and now they’re at the counter, he realizes he was too busy flirting with Castiel to come up with an opener. He doesn’t end up needing one though. </p>
<p>The woman at the counter is tall and blonde and she smiles at them as they approach, “We have a discount for G-men.” When Dean shoots her a confused and curious look - they aren’t suited up - the woman laughs. “We’re a relatively small community and everyone’s a huge gossip. Particularly Sheriff Vaughan, my father.”</p>
<p>“Ah,” Dean says in understanding, nodding his head. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>The woman smiles. “Not a problem. I think everyone’s just glad you’re here. They’ve been doing their best, but this one’s a difficult one, it requires different expertise.” She gives Dean and Castiel a loaded look like she’s trying to tell them something without needing to say it, but Dean just can’t figure out what it is. She laughs, rolls her eyes, and says, “Garth said you two were thick. So, double shot Americano and black English breakfast?”</p>
<p>Dean shoots his own look at Castiel who raises an eyebrow, before he says, “Yes, thanks. And any beef burger you have. Cas?”</p>
<p>“The same is fine.”</p>
<p>The woman nods her head, pressing buttons on the computer in front of her. “Sit outside under the tree, I’ll come find you.”</p>
<p>Dean pays and he and Castiel go outside.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>-*-*-*-*-*-</p>
</div>The woman brings them their food and drinks out on a tray and sits down in front of them with her arms crossed over her chest. “I met a woman named Olivia Lowry in 2003 when I was fifteen and my best friend had just gone missing.”<p>“Olivia Lowry…” Dean turns to Castiel and whispers, “Why do I recognize that name?”</p>
<p>Castiel leans over and quietly whispers, “She was a friend of Bobby Singer, she was one of the hunters killed during the Rising of the Witnesses.”</p>
<p>Dean nods his head and turns back to the woman so she knows to continue. She smiles and says, “Olivia gave me a number, to call in case of an emergency. It was for a guy called Buddy or something. I called a few weeks ago after the third body appeared. It took me a week just to find the damn thing, I left in a box for thirteen years. Anyway. A woman named Josh answered, and she sent me onto Garth.”</p>
<p>“What made you think to call us? The previous incident happened almost two decades ago, most people forget after all that time.,” Castiel asks, eyebrows furrowed.</p>
<p>The woman sighs, shrugging her shoulders. “I mean, everything together? The way they were killed, all the grave robberies, the doppelgängers - they could kinda be explained away on their own? But my dad’s been telling me about the case? And the incident in 2003 just came back to me all at once.”</p>
<p>“What happened back then? When Olivia came to town?” Dean asks.</p>
<p>The woman leans back in her chair, sighs again, and says, “Vampires. My friend Charlie - he got taken. He came looking for me after he turned, wanted to turn me with him.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>She shrugs her shoulders. “My dad doesn’t know about monsters, I never told him. So unless you want to have <em>that</em> conversation with him, I wouldn’t tell him.” Dean nods her head. “Oh! I’m Cat, by the way. In case you need anything. I live above the cafe.”</p>
<p>Castiel elbows Dean gently, a reminder to ask about the Baby’s Breath. “The bush outside, with the little white flowers. Do you have a camera directed at it? Or do you know who trampled it?”</p>
<p>Cat sits forward, leaning her arms on the table. “I do. My wife. She tripped and stepped on the bush. Why?” Her eyebrows are knitted together in confusion.</p>
<p>Dean looks at Castiel, then back at Cat before he says, “We found Baby’s Breath with the latest body, we haven’t been able to find any bushes other than the one out front. It’s the only clue with have.”</p>
<p>“Look, even if she was the killer - which I seriously doubt - she’s almost forty weeks pregnant, she can barely get out of bed with my help, I seriously doubt she has the ability to murder four people,” Cat says with a snort, shaking her head fondly. “She’s as big as a house, it’s pretty hard to hide. Anyway, I gotta get back to work.”</p>
<p>When Cat disappears, Castiel turns to Dean and says, “Say this wife is a ghoul, what would happen to her pregnant belly when she shifts?”</p>
<p>Dean frowns. “I’ve no idea, I’ve never come across a pregnant ghoul before. I’ll call Garth and Sam, see if they can find any info.”</p>
<p>Castiel nods his head and picks up his burger.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>-*-*-*-*-*-</p>
</div>According to a very helpful book in the bunker library which Sam has already read, and manages to find easily, pregnant ghouls can’t shift. That, plus the extremely pregnant woman walking past the crime scene a few hours before the body dump in CCTV rules out Cat’s wife and the Baby’s Breath as clues, leaving them back at square one.<p>“Not quite,” Castiel says while they’re sitting at the table in the hotel room. “We never actually searched the graveyards looking for hideouts, only for the plant.”</p>
<p>Dean nods. “Right, so tonight after sunset we’ll check the three graveyards. What do we do until then.”</p>
<p>“I can think of a few things,” he replies with a grin, pushing his chair back so he can stand, climbing into Dean’s lap. “Good idea?”</p>
<p>“Awesome idea,” Dean agrees, pulling Castiel down into a kiss. He licks into the man’s mouth, tastes the beer on his tongue, sliding his hands around Castiel’s waist.</p>
<p>They haven’t managed anything more than a handful of handjobs and a couple rushed blowjobs since they arrived, too busy working on the case, so Dean’s going to take his time. They don’t have to leave for at least four hours, which is four hours they have completely to themselves, four hours Dean is going to take advantage of.</p>
<p>“C’mon,” Dean says between kisses, taking a breath before he kisses Castiel again. “I’m too old to fuck in a shitty chair. On the bed.”</p>
<p>Castiel laughs. “I’m older than you are and I don’t mind ‘fucking on a chair’.”</p>
<p>“You’re only older mentally, the body you’re in is barely ten years old.”</p>
<p>Castiel laughs again, high and bright, throwing his head back. Dean admires the expanse of Castiel’s throat, first with his eyes, then with his mouth. He tastes the salt on Castiel’s skin, sucking a mark over his collarbone. “Oh, that’s good,” Castiel moans, opening his throat up wider for more of Dean’s mouth, squeezing his hands around Dean’s shoulders. “Keep doing that.”</p>
<p>Dean grazes his teeth over the mark he’s made before he pulls away and says, “Bed, angel.”</p>
<p>Castiel climbs to his feet and pulls his shirt over his head, leaving himself bare-chested as he fiddles with the button of his jeans. He’s trying to look coy, and if Dean didn’t know him any better, he would almost fall for it. “And how exactly do you want me on the bed Dean?”</p>
<p>Dean snorts. “Fucker. The innocent, doe-eyed look doesn’t work on me anymore. It stopped working on me the first time you tied me up and ate me out.”</p>
<p>Castiel falls back onto the bed, bracing himself with his hands in the mattress behind him, grinning over at Dean. He’s still trying to look innocent, but there’s a glint in his eyes, and then in a throaty voice he says, “I could do it again. Tie you up and rim you, fuck you on your front?”</p>
<p>Dean breathes out harshly through his nose, a fire burning in his gut. He climbs to his feet and goes to stand between Castiel’s spread knees, reaching down to take Castiel’s face in his hand. “While that sounds awesome, I have different plans. Feel like going for a ride?”</p>
<p>It takes Castiel a second to realize Dean isn’t talking about going for a ride in the Impala, his head tilted to the side in confusion and his brow furrowed. When understanding does dawn on him he grins up at Dean. “Oh yes, I would like that.”</p>
<p>Dean nods his head and then tells Castiel to take his pants off and lay on the bed before he goes in search of the lube. They left it in the washroom after Castiel used it to finger Dean the morning before in the shower, and Dean grabs it from the shelf built into the shower wall. The memory of himself, leaning against the shower wall with his face pressed into the cold tile, Castiel’s fingers pumping into his body, sends a shiver of delight down his spine.</p>
<p>He finds Castiel on the bed, completely naked with his arms behind his head, thick biceps stretched enticingly. Dean thinks very seriously about biting marks into those biceps and then throwing out the plan and making Castiel hold him down.</p>
<p>Dean pulls his shirt over his head and drops his jeans, stepping out of them, leaving him in his briefs. He climbs into the bed with Castiel, spreading the man’s thighs with his knees. He plants his hands in the mattress on either side of Castiel’s head and leans down to press a quick, gentle kiss to his mouth.</p>
<p>“So, am I focusing on fingering you, or getting it done quickly?” Dean asks while he’s sitting back on his haunches, rearranging Castiel’s legs so they’re spread open.</p>
<p>“Make it quick, please.”</p>
<p>Dean nods his head and flicks open the cap of the bottle of lube. He slicks his fingers with the liquid and tosses the bottle and tosses it aside before wriggling down so he’s lying between Castiel’s thighs. He fingers him open carefully, but quickly, efficiently, making sure Castiel’s ready before Dean removes his fingers and swaps their positions. He piles the pillows behind his head so he’s lying slightly elevated, takes off his briefs, and then pats his thigh.</p>
<p>“Up you come, buddy.”</p>
<p>Castiel rolls his eyes so hard Dean worries they might pop out of my hair sockets, but he still sits over Dean’s hips. “Don’t say it like that.”</p>
<p>Dean slides his hands up Castiel’s thighs, cupping them around the man’s hips. He tries to look as innocent as possible as he stares up at Castiel. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Then again, he was never as good at the doe-eyed look as Castiel.</p>
<p>Castiel snorts in amusement and rolls his eyes again, reaching behind himself to take Dean’s dick in his hand. He holds it up, pressing the head to the opening of his body, but then stops before he slides down. “I like it when you call me buddy, but not when we’re having sex.”</p>
<p>Dean stares at Castiel for a moment, trying to figure out if he’s being serious, or pulling one over on him. Eventually, he nods, “alright, no more ‘buddy’. How about sweetheart? Or maybe baby? You do like sunshine, too.”</p>
<p>There’s a flush high on Castiel’s cheeks and he smiles brightly before he starts slowly sinking down on Dean’s cock. “I like it when you call me baby.”</p>
<p>Dean slides a hand from Castiel’s hip up his body and takes the man’s face into his palm. “Baby.”</p>
<p>Castiel’s cheeks burn redder and he nuzzles his face into Dean’s hand, eyes fluttering closed. He rolls his hips and presses a gentle kiss to Dean’s palm, then says, “Say it again?”</p>
<p>”Baby,” Dean murmurs, tracing his thumb over the curve of Castiel’s lips. Dean’s never known anyone as beautiful as Castiel, and he still doesn’t understand how he managed to make an <em>angel</em> fall in love with him. He must be the luckiest son of a bitch on the planet. “Ride me, baby.”</p>
<p>Castiel does, planting his hands on Dean’s chest and sliding up before slamming back down again, drawing a grunt from Dean’s mouth. Dean likes absolutely everything about sex with Castiel, but this? Watching Castiel above him, taking his own pleasure from Dean? This is Dean’s favorite. If he didn’t like getting his brains fucked out by Castiel and his monster dick when he’s in one of his <em>moods</em>, he’d be more than happy to do it like this for the rest of their lives.</p>
<p>Castiel rolls his hips and squeezes his body around Dean’s cock. Dean frowns, deep in his throat, hips jutting up at the sensation of <em>tight, wet, heat</em>. Castiel thrusts down again, so fast and hard it tears a throaty whine from his mouth and his head flings back, baring his throat. Dean slides his hand from Castiel’s face to his throat, pressing his thumb into the mark he left on Castiel’s collarbone. Castiel whines again, fingers digging into Dean’s pecs, sharp little points of pain that match the surges of pleasure as Castiel fucks himself down on Dean. </p>
<p>Dean comes first, fucking his hips up into Castiel as he moans the man’s name. Castiel continues riding Dean, and reaches down to stroke his cock until he comes too, dick spurting on Dean’s belly before he collapses on top of Dean. </p>
<p>“You always turn into a rag doll after you’ve come,” Dean says with a chuckle, rolling them over carefully so Castiel is on his back. Dean pulls his cock from the man’s body before going in search of something to clean them up. He finds a washcloth in the bathroom, soaks it in warm water, and takes it back to Castiel, wiping his belly and cock first before rolling him onto his belly so he can clean the mess he left between Castiel’s cheeks. “Feel like a nap? I could set the alarm?” He asks when he’s done and he’s thrown the washcloth in the general direction of the washroom.</p>
<p>Castiel nods his head, reaching out for Dean, pulling him back into bed, curling his limbs around Dean’s side. “I love you, Dean.”</p>
<p>“I love you too, baby,” Dean says gently, pressing a kiss to Castiel’s forehead as he reaches over for his phone on the bedside table. “How long?”</p>
<p>“Couple hours,” Castiel says with a yawn, voice muffled in Dean’s shoulder.</p>
<p>Dean sets the alarm.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>-*-*-*-*-*-</p>
</div>The first cemetery they check is empty, with no signs of supernatural creatures that aren’t the odd ghost, but in the second, they find an empty nest in one of the crypts. There are two bedrolls inside, a gas lamp, a duffle bag, and a small stuffed dinosaur.<p>Dean picks it up and shows it to Castiel. “One of them’s a kid.”</p>
<p>Castiel takes the toy from Dean and turns it over in his hands. “I don’t want to kill a kid, Dean.”</p>
<p>Dean nods his head solemnly. He doesn’t either, he’s rather absolutely any other alternative, but he’ll do it if he has to. “We’ll wait here until they get back.”</p>
<p>Castiel nods and sets the toy back on the bedroll, walking over to the tomb, climbing on top of it.</p>
<p>They wait for hours until the rising sun begins to shine through the stained glass windows. </p>
<p>Dean decides to pack it in then. </p>
<p>Castiel climbs back off of the tomb and together they leave the crypt, stepping out onto the Dewey grass of the cemetery, out into the crisp air.</p>
<p>Castiel races ahead, desperate to get into the car and get the heater on, which means when Dean gets hit over the back of the head and dragged away, he doesn’t notice until it’s too late. Dean’s already gone.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>-*-*-*-*-*-</p>
</div>Dean comes to sometime later in an industrial room that smells vaguely of gasoline and sewerage. He’s tied to a chair with his hands behind his back and his feet together, duct tape over his mouth. The back of his head hurts like a motherfucker and it feels like there might be a cut over his eyebrow too.<p>He’s alone in the room, at least until the door across from his opens and three figures come filing in, from tallest to shortest.</p>
<p>Oh <em>fuck</em>, they’re <em>all</em> children.</p>
<p>The youngest is holding the little toy dinosaur and has tight blonde curls, she looks no more than five. The second youngest, a little boy with big curls and dark skin in a jumper way too big for him looks about ten or eleven. The last, the eldest, is a teenager with pale skin and long back hair, so long it hangs down his back, and he can’t be more than sixteen. Dean’s not entirely sure if those are their real faces or their last meals.</p>
<p>They all look absolutely terrified, even the oldest, though he’s trying to hide it behind a mask of bullshit and bravado.</p>
<p>Dean eyes them as they get closer, trying to decide what to say when they take the tape off. If they take the tape off.</p>
<p>“Just kill him, before he kills us,” the middle one says in a harsh whisper, holding onto the eldest’s arm tightly with two hands. The youngest is hiding behind the two of them, holding tightly to her dinosaur. She looks like she’s been crying, eyes red and cheeks blotchy, and Dean’s heart actually clenches at the thought of scaring a five-year-old so much she’s been crying. Shit, what are they doing alone? Even ghouls have parents, where are theirs?</p>
<p>“If we kill him now, the other will come after him,” the eldest says, biting his lip nervously. Fuck, he’s just a kid, he has absolutely no idea what he’s doing. How long have they been alone? “But… if we let him go, they’ll both come back after us.”</p>
<p>Dean mumbles through the tape, trying to move his mouth, opening his eyes wide, and jerking his head to the side. He’s not sure if he’s getting his point across for a moment, until the oldest breaks away from the other two and reaches forward to rip the tape off of Dean’s mouth.</p>
<p>“What?” The child asks as Dean’s stretching his mouth out to ease the sting.</p>
<p>“How old are you kids?”</p>
<p>“None of your business,” the oldest snaps.</p>
<p>Dean snorts and rolls his eyes. “Fine, don’t tell me. What about your parents? Why are you alone?”</p>
<p>“Daddy died,” the littlest says from behind the middle, eyes welling up with tears.</p>
<p>“<em>Dale</em>,” the oldest child hisses, turning back to shoot a look at the other two children.</p>
<p>Dean frowns. “How long have you been alone?”</p>
<p>“We’re not alone!” The middle child pipes up.</p>
<p>“I know,” Dean replies, nodding his head as he gives them a sympathetic smile. “You have each other. Was he all your dad? What happened?”</p>
<p>The two youngest stare at the oldest until the teenager sighs, looking perturbed, yet also irritated. “He wasn’t our real dad, he took us in. I don’t know how he died, he just got sick one day, went to sleep, and never woke up.”</p>
<p>Dean nods his understanding. “Was this a month ago?” The kids nod. So the father was feeding them corpses until he died. “Why did you kill people? He had to have taught you how to scavenge from corpses.”</p>
<p>The oldest looks at the other too, sighs again, and says, “The first one was an accident. We were hiding in a drainpipe, he was just a homeless man looking for somewhere warm to sleep. I think he wasn’t right in the head, he started yelling at Dale and Ollie freaked out. And it just tasted so much better than dead people.”</p>
<p>Dean sighs. Jesus. He nods his head and says, “And you couldn’t stop.”</p>
<p>“We didn’t hurt good people, only bad people, I promise,” Dale says, her eyes still wet with tears. She’s so little and so scared, and Dean’s heart hurts for her.</p>
<p>“I believe you, sweetheart.”</p>
<p>“The second one…” the oldest (who still hasn’t dropped his name) begins, eyes turned down and face red. “He tried to… he thought I was a…” he shakes his head. He won’t look Dean in the eye anymore like he’s terrified of Dean’s reaction to hearing a middle-aged man tried to pick up a kid, like Dean would be angry at him. Dean was only a year younger than him the first time it happened to him.</p>
<p>Dean nods his understanding. “I don’t blame you, I would’ve killed him too. The third and the fourth?”</p>
<p>“The third man hurt Ollie, he hit him on purpose.” The eldest looks back at Dale and Ollie again then, wincing. “And the fourth…” he doesn’t say else for so long that Dean wonders if he’s going to say anything at all. “She tried to yank Ollie off the street, managed to get him in a car before Ollie lost control.”</p>
<p>“She was a social worker.”</p>
<p>The oldest child and Ollie both from before the oldest says, “I don’t know what that means.”</p>
<p>“I think she saw Ollie by himself on the street - saw him dirty and hungry - and wanted to help him. Take him somewhere to feed and clothe him,” Dean tells them, suddenly realizing they hadn’t found the pocket knife in the wrist of his jacket. He’d been too distracted by the shock of being faced with children to notice before then. “She could’ve been human trafficking, I don’t know, but the first is more likely.”</p>
<p>“Oh.”</p>
<p>Dean flips the pocket knife open and begins slicing at the rope wrapped around his arms and wrists. “Ollie thought he was saving himself. You were protecting each other. But you can’t keep killing, you know that right? You can’t stay here.”</p>
<p>The children all nod, then Ollie says, “We have nowhere else to go.”</p>
<p>Dean gets through the rope on his wrist and starts on the rope around his middle. “I have friends like you. Well, not specifically like you, but a creature like you. Benny is a vampire and Garth and his family are werewolves. They could help.”</p>
<p>“Really?”</p>
<p>Dean snaps the rope and leans down to untie his ankles, sending the kids towards the door just as Castiel’s opening it up, gun in hand. “Cas! Stop, they’re just kids.”</p>
<p>Castiel blocks the exit with his gun trained on the children, and the poor things look terrified. Dean gets himself untied and steps in between Castiel and the kids.</p>
<p>“Cas, you’re terrifying then. The girl is five, just put the gun down,” Dean says, reaching forward and pushing the gun down. Castiel lets him, switching the safety back on. “You’ve got great timing baby, really, but I’ve got this one.”</p>
<p>Castiel nods and Dean turns back to the kids who are all backed into a wall, the eldest in front of the two youngest. Dean steps closer slowly, stopping a couple of feet away.</p>
<p>“Hey, you’re okay. I promise, he was just worried about me, he wanted to protect me like you protect each other,” Dean says gently, taking another few slow steps closer, stopping when the kids try to flatten themselves against the wall. He holds his hands out to try to calm them, and says, “C’mon, we aren’t going to hurt you, I swear it.”</p>
<p>“What’s going on?” Castiel whispers from behind Dean.</p>
<p>“I’ll explain in a bit, Cas,” Dean replies, holding his hand out behind him to take Castiel’s wrist. He squeezes it before releasing it again. “Go call Benny, Garth, or Bess.”</p>
<p>“Hey, I didn’t get your name before,” Dean directs to the oldest gently, leaving the two feet of space between them. “I’m Dean, that’s my partner Castiel. We’re going to help you.”</p>
<p>“Allan.”</p>
<p>It takes getting Garth on the phone to convince the kids to pack their things up and come with them. They’re still terrified, yet they’re still trusting Castiel and Dean enough to follow them. </p>
<p>“Where are we taking them until Bess gets here?” Castiel asks as they’re helping the three kids into the backseat of the Impala. “And we need something for them to eat.”</p>
<p>“Well take them back to the hotel? And I think I produce a dead body for them to eat,” Dean replies, reaching behind him to touch the wound on the back of his head. It’s deep and he’s still bleeding, and he thinks it might need stitches.</p>
<p>“Are you alright Dean?”</p>
<p>Dean nods his head and slides his arm around the back of Castiel’s neck. He kisses Castiel and then says, “I’ll just need a couple of stitches. You happy to take care of it?”</p>
<p>“You know I am.”</p>
<p>Dean kisses Castiel again. “C’mon, let's get these kids somewhere safe,” he replies, squeezing Castiel’s wrist gently in his hand before the two of them climb into the car.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>-*-*-*-*-*-</p>
</div>When they get back to the bunker a few days later, Sam and Rowena have gotten the low down about the ghoul kids from Garth.<p>Sam pulls Dean aside while Castiel is following Rowena into the kitchen. He has a system of bruises over his neck and throat that Dean studiously avoids looking at, or saying anything about. “I heard you sent the kids away rather than kill them. When the hell did that happen?” </p>
<p>Dean snorts, looking over at Castiel as the man’s head flings back and he laughs at something Rowena’s said. “I think it’s pretty obvious, don’t you?”</p>
<p>Sam follows his line of sight then says, “Yeah, okay, pretty clear. Are the kids okay?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Bess took them home yesterday, they’ll stay with her and Garth for now. Later, they’ll find someone to send them to live with permanently. Bess says they think they know someone who knows a ghoul on our side, it’ll be good for them to be with someone like them.” Dean sighs and shakes his head. “One of them was five, no way I was killing a five-year-old.”</p>
<p>Sam nods his head, and they stand in silence for a moment before Sam finally speaks. “Hey, thanks for this week. Y’know, giving me and Rowena some time alone, and not being a dick about it.”</p>
<p>Dean shrugs his shoulders and pats Sam’s shoulder on his way past him into the kitchen to join Castiel and Rowena.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Do you like Destiel? Well you're in luck! Profound Bond is a server on Discord for people just like you, you can find it <a href="https://discord.gg/profoundbond">here</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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